poultice

Among the most essential aspects of detoxification are the sequestering of toxins and waste from the gastrointestinal tract and its proper elimination. HPDI’s Intestinal Rejuvenation Formula meets the need for an effective intestinal sweep to cleanse the entire GI tract for improved gut health and function.

That’s just the start! You have to experience this formula yourself to appreciate its benefits most.

Intestinal Rejuvenation Formula works by coating and adhering to the lining of the intestines. This unique action allows it to absorb fecal plaques and other debris, soften unhealthy deposits, and sweep them away for elimination in the stool. The IRF formula thereby neutralizes and removes hundreds of toxins, including heavy metals like mercury and lead. It draws out many times its weight in material encrusted or trapped in the intestinal lining. It also provides nutrients not only known to nourish the GI tract, but also that promote normal elimination functions.

The easiest way to start using Intestinal Rejuvenation Formula is to put one teaspoon in eight ounces of water. Stir or shake, then drink immediately. You can then add some additional water to the container, stir and drink. You can start at 1/2 teaspoon (or less) if one teaspoon seems like too much. You can gradually work you way up to one tablespoon in 16 ounces of water or juice.

Note: It is important to consume the formula immediately after mixing with water to avoid the formula thickening which makes it difficult to drink. It is also important to consume sufficient water so it can swell and more easily pass through the digestive tract.

Intestinal Rejuvenation Formula is formulated to cleanse, detoxify, purify, and heal. You and your clients will love IRF!

HOW INTESTINAL REJUVENTION FORMULA CAN HELP

Intestinal Rejuvenation Formula relieves symptoms of constipation, including gas, bloating, cramps, indigestion, and nausea caused by excessive waste in the bowel. It also soothes the intestinal lining and colon wall, and promotes a well-functioning colon. This means it can contribute to greater health not only through removal of toxins and intestinal blockages, but also by allowing greater absorption of nutrients from food (i.e., after the intestines are cleansed). It also can contribute to achieving normal weight by promoting elimination of old fecal matter (e.g., post-putrefactive deposits), and by helping to establish and maintain normal bowel function.

Intestinal Rejuvenation Formula acts as a wonderful soothing agent for the mucous membrane linings of the entire intestinal tract, especially the colon. This makes it an important formula for individuals experiencing irritable bowel syndrome, spastic colon, colitis, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, or any digestive tract condition causing hot, burning, irritated, or bleeding bowels and/or diarrhea. This unique healing formula is also an excellent remedy for food poisoning, because it can absorb harmful bacteria and toxins.

Intestinal Rejuvenation Formula also can be applied externally as a poultice to insect bites and stings (e.g., bee, ant, scorpion), snake bites, etc. The drawing power of the formula acts to pull toxins directly from wounds. Poultices are highly effective for pulling venoms, and work especially well when combined with echinacea tincture (used orally and topically) and homeopathic remedies (e.g., apis mellifera, ledum palustre, arnica montana). This application makes the formula truly unique. See directions (below) for external applications.

WHAT INTESTINAL REJUVENATION FORMULA CONTAINS

The ingredients in Intestinal Rejuvenation Formula make it one of the most effective products for complete cleansing of the gastrointestinal tract available today. IRF includes not only includes ingredients for binding and removing toxins and waste, but also for healing the entire GI tract.

INGREDIENTS: One teaspoon (3.23 gram) provides the following nutrients:

NUTRITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS AND APPLICATIONS

The nutrients contained in Intestinal Rejuvenation Formula are all known to provide unique therapeutic benefits and healing properties. Consequently, the formula is carefully designed so the ingredients work together synergistically to leverage and maximize the capacities of each one. This results in a formula that is superior in action and that can far more effectively support health and healing in the intestinal tract than single ingredients or shotgun approaches (that often result in reduced effectiveness through the use of fillers, imbalanced formulation, or less than the highest quality ingredients).

Psyllium seed husks are soluble in water, expanding and becoming mucilaginous when moistened. Psyllium seed husks are indigestible in human beings and are used as a source of dietary fiber. They are used to relieve constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticular disease, and diarrhea. They are also used as a regular dietary supplement to improve and maintain regular gastrointestinal (GI) transit. The inert bulk of the husks helps to provide a constant volume of solid material regardless of other aspects of the diet or any disease condition of the gut. Recent research also shows psyllium seed husks to be promising in lowering cholesterol and controlling diabetes.

APPLE PECTIN

As a dietary fiber, apple pectin is helpful in maintaining good digestive health. Pectin forms a colloidal solution in water and gels when cool. An indigestible, soluble fiber, apple pectin is a general intestinal regulator used in many healing preparations, especially as an anti-diarrheal agent. Researchers at the University of California, Davis (UCD), found that apple pectin acts as an antioxidant against the damaging portion of cholesterol in the blood stream.

It has been established that a diet rich in apple pectin may help protect against certain diseases. Research in Japan shows that apple pectin can act as a chemopreventive agent. Apple pectin helps maintain intestinal balance by cleansing the intestinal tract with its soluble and insoluble fibers. Apple pectin tends to increase acidity in the large intestines and is advocated for those suffering from ulcer or colitis and for regulating blood pressure. Pectin is also effective in causing regressions in and preventing gallstones. There is also evidence that the regular use of apple pectin may lessen the severity of diabetes.

Apple pectin is known to draw radiation from the body. Russian doctors have found apple pectin to be among the most effective means for protecting against radiation when consuming contaminated foods is unavoidable. Pectin, along with vitamins and minerals, eliminates radionuclides ingested from foods. This is especially relevant given recent meltdowns and radiation releases from the nuclear complex in Fukushima, Japan. Radiation from this catastrophe has contaminated (and continues contaminating) food crops across the entire northern hemisphere (and beyond), especially crops grown in North America.

BENTONITE CLAY

Bentonite clay has a large and varied mineral content, including over 50 minerals. Seen under a high powered microscope, bentonite is composed of extremely minute rectangular particles. The wide surfaces are negatively charged and the edges are positively charged. Therefore, its adsorptive power is many thousand times more negative than positive. It has a negative electrical attraction for positively charged particles. In the human body, various toxic poisons are positively charged. The very minuteness of the particles give it a large surface area (about 1,000 square meters per gram) relative to its volume, thereby enabling it to pick up many times its own weight (as high as 40 times) in positively charged particles.

When bentonite clay absorbs water and swells, it stretches open like a highly porous sponge. Toxins (including pathogenic viruses, herbicides, and pesticides) are drawn into these spaces and bound through electrical attraction. The bentonite is eventually eliminated from the body with the toxins bound to its multiple surfaces. Diarrhea can be remedied through the use of bentonite clay because of its capacity to bind stools. Bentonite clay can act immediately to bind irritants in the gastrointestinal tract.

The unique properties of Heartland’s RCM™ Flax(Real Cold Milled) organic flaxseed provides enormous advantages over whole flax seeds, ground flax powders, and other milled flax seed products. In particular, cold-milled flax seeds offer readily assimilable omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids because of special no-heat processing that protects these delicate oils and makes them available for uptake into the body.

RCM™ Flax cold-milled flaxseed is processed using a unique, proprietary method that preserves the delicate oils and allows for optimal uptake of the oils and other nutrients (e.g., soluble fiber) into the body. That is, flax seeds must be milled into a flour or meal to obtain maximum benefits from its oils and dietary fiber. However, typical methods of grinding or pounding flaxseeds separate the oil from the seeds (and heat the oils), thereby causing the oils to oxidize and become rancid. In contrast, cold milling is a unique process that does not involve heating delicate oils and keeps them protected within finely milled pieces of seed. Thus, cold-milled flax seed is not significantly oxidized and remains fresh for an extended period of time. Conversely, when flax seeds are harshly ground or crushed, the oils do not remain fresh because there is no inherent protection from oxidation. Cold milling allows the seed to retain and protect its oils because the process does not release the oils from the seeds.

RCM™ Flax offers a non-refrigerated shelf life of greater than 24 months. A study conducted at North Dakota State University confirms that peroxide levels of RCM™ Flax remain exceptionally low for an extended periods. While this flaxseed retains its freshness for an extended period, when refrigerated (or consumed within several months), it provides amazingly high levels of freshness.

The organic cold-milled flax seeds in Intestinal Rejuvenation Formula contain oil amounts varying between 38–45%, with the oil offering a high percentage (47–53%) of the omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and 15–18% omega-6 linoleic acid. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is an essential fatty acid acting in the human body as a substratum for the transformation into EPA and DHA through the action of desaturation and elongation enzymes. The seeds also contain some omega-6 essential fatty acids and exhibit a favorable omega-3 to omega-6 ratio of 3:1. Modern diets contain too few omega-3 fatty acids.

Cold-milled flax seeds possess 15–30% protein (typically 20%) and the amino acids of flax protein have no limiting factors in the adult diet (i.e., they are a complete protein source having all of the essential amino acids in an appropriate balance). Flax seeds are also a source of magnesium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and copper. They also have demonstrated antioxidant activity. The most important antioxidants they provide are phytoestrogens known as lignans. Because cold milling flax seeds significantly reduces oxidation, this exceptional flax seed has great potential within the food industry when compared to other alpha-linolenic acid sources, such as typical ground flaxseed powders, which can exhibit rapid decomposition due to a lack of antioxidant protection from oxidation.

The human body easily digests flax seeds. The seed’s outer layer is rich in mucilloid soluble fiber (flax seed possesses 10-15% soluble fiber) and absorbs at least 4 times its weight in water. When mixed with water or stomach juices, the seeds form a gel that creates a physical barrier between the carbohydrates and the digestive enzymes that break them down. The carbohydrates thereby are digested and converted into glucose (blood sugar) at a slow, uniform rate. There is no insulin surge or spike needed to lower the blood sugar level. The water-retaining capacity of the gel also maintains bodily hydration (i.e., helping level out water intake) and electrolyte balance.

MARSHMALLOW ROOT POWDER (organic)

Considered the king of mucilaginous (gel-like) slippery plants, marshmallow offers a unique composition of about 37% starch, 11% mucilage, and 11% pectin (including flavonoids and phenolic acids). When it reaches the colon, marshmallow gel will soften hardened fecal plaques and help to remove them from colon walls. It also acts as a soothing coating and internal moisturizer for the entire digestive tract. Like chia seeds, it neutralizes irritants often found in the intestinal system, and thereby greatly relieves irritation to the mucous membrane lining of the digestive tract.

SLIPPERY ELM BARK POWDER (organic)

The health benefits of slippery elm are rooted mainly in its soothing properties. This mucilaginous herb is effective when used internally for coating and soothing mucous membranes while also absorbing toxins that can cause intestinal imbalances. Slippery elm is an effective remedy for duodenal ulcers, gastritis, diarrhea, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, hemorrhoids, and heartburn. The benefits of slippery elm also extend to being a simple food. As part of a normal diet, the inner bark of slippery elm can be ground and eaten as porridge. This porridge is extremely nutritious and high in antioxidants having a consistency and taste similar to oatmeal. It is also a wholesome and sustaining food for infants and invalids.

ACTIVATED WILLOW CHARCOAL (wildcrafted)

Activated charcoal is charcoal that has been treated with oxygen to open up millions of tiny pores between the carbon atoms. The use of special manufacturing techniques results in highly porous charcoals that have surface areas of 300–2,000 square meters per gram. Charcoal works to trap toxins through “adsorption.” When a material adsorbs something, it attaches to it via chemical attraction. The huge surface area of activated charcoal gives it countless bonding sites for adsorbing toxins.

When certain chemicals pass next to the carbon surface, they attach to the surface and become trapped. Activated charcoal is excellent for trapping carbon-based substances (i.e., organic chemicals), as well as other chemicals such as chlorine. It is known to trap over 20,000 organic chemicals. Many chemicals are not attracted to carbon (sodium, nitrates, etc.) so they pass through charcoal. Because charcoal is not “digested” like food, it may remain inside the GI tract for a time, thereby continuing to actively remove toxins via the bowel.

SPIRULINA PACIFICA

Research has shown that spirulina promotes digestion and bowel function. It suppresses bad bacteria (including E. coli and Candida albicans yeast) and stimulates beneficial flora, including lactobacillus and bifidobacteria. Healthy intestinal flora (i.e., “good” bacteria) are a foundation for good health. They increase absorption of nutrients from foods and help protect against infection. In Japan, researchers found that spirulina significantly reduces kidney toxicity caused by mercury and three pharmaceutical drugs. This suggests benefits for humans suffering heavy metal poisoning. Additional research found that rats consuming spirulina or chlorella algae eliminated seven times the amount of dioxin (a highly toxic chemical) when compared to a control diet.

INULIN / FRUCTOOLIGOSACCHARIDES (from Chicory Root)

Like other types of dietary fiber, inulin also has the benefits of enhancing digestive and intestinal functions, reducing cholesterol, and preventing disease. In addition, inulin has one other major health benefit: it is a prebiotic that feeds the healthy microflora that boost your immunity. Not only does inulin actively promote the growth of existing strains of probiotics in your colon, but it also encourages implantation, survival, and growth of freshly consumed probiotics. By boosting the survival and growth of beneficial probiotics in the inner ecosystem, inulin improves digestion, immunity, and disease-fighting capacity of the body.

GINGER ROOT POWDER (organic)

Ginger rhizome (Zingiber officinale) is an incredibly active and effective gastrointestinal aid with the following properties: 1) Contains a digestive enzyme whose effectiveness even exceeds that of papain; 2) Stimulates the flow of saliva and increases the concentration of the digestive enzyme amylase in the saliva; and 3) Activates peristalsis and increases intestinal muscle tone. Ginger is also known to be helpful in cases of nausea.

BIOVIN® GRAPE EXTRACT

BIOVIN® Grape Pulp, Skin & Seed Extract (>85% OPCs): The BioVin® grape extract in REJUVENATE!™ BERRIES & HERBS is extracted by ethanol and water and contains the highest percentage of OPCs (oligomeric proanthocyanidins) of any product on the market. OPCs, a class of bioflavonoids, are one of nature’s most powerful free-radical scavengers. As bioflavonoids, OPCs help to increase the effectiveness of Vitamin C. OPCs cross the blood-brain barrier to provide antioxidant protection to central nervous system tissue. Studies have clearly demonstrated that OPCs improve and normalize capillary activity, strengthening capillary walls. OPCs bind to collagen fibers, realigning them in the process to a more youthful, undamaged structure. Elasticity, flexibility, and strength are thereby restored to connective tissue.

LICORICE ROOT POWDER (organic)

Licorice root soothes the GI tract and aids intestinal health. Licorice root is used effectively in those individuals suffering from peptic ulcer and chronic gastritis. It is used to soothe coughs and reduce inflammation, soothe and heal ulcers and stomach inflammation, control blood sugar, and to balance hormones. Licorice is a potent antiviral agent and can be used to treat flu, herpes, and even hepatitis. Licorice is also a strong anti-inflammatory agent.

MAGNESIUM (from magnesium ascorbate)

Magnesium is important for the metabolism of many biologically active nutrients and substances, including calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, sodium, lead, cadmium, hydrochloric acid (HCl), acetylcholine, and nitric oxide (NO). It is required for more than 325 magnesium-dependent enzymes, cellular homeostasis, and activation of the B vitamin thiamin. It mediates the functions of the nervous and endocrine systems, supports proper muscle and nerve function, stabilizes heart rhythm, helps to regulate blood sugar levels, and supports normal blood pressure. Magnesium is important in energy metabolism and the synthesis of proteins.

CHLORELLA GROWTH FACTOR (CGF)

Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF) stimulates lactobaccilus (the “good” bacteria) to grow at four times the usual rate. Experiments with microorganisms, young animals, and children have demonstrated that CGF promotes faster than normal growth. In adults and mature organisms, CGF appears to enhance the functions of nucleic acids at the cellular level that relate to the production of proteins, enzymes, and energy. It also stimulates tissue repair and offers protection against toxic substances at the cellular level.

VITAMIN C (from magnesium ascorbate)

Vitamin C is known to perform many critical functions within the body involving detoxification, tissue building, immune enhancement, pain control, and controlling or killing pathogenic organisms. It is known to be helpful for wound and bone healing, healthy skin and eyes, infections, stress control, toxic exposure, and repairing damaged tissue of all types.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Additional Ingredients: Natural Lemon Flavor, Malic Acid, and Stevia Leaf Extract. These natural flavors and taste enhancers give the formula a pleasing taste and make it easier for individuals to consume.

DIRECTIONS: For long-term, gentle rejuvenation of the intestinal tract take about one (1) teaspoon (about 1/3 scoop) several times daily away from food (by at least 20 minutes), or as directed by a health care professional. Place the powder in about 8 ounces of water, thoroughly mix (shake or stir), and drink immediately (before the formula becomes a gel too thick to easily consume).

For a more rapid healing cleanse take one tablespoon (one scoop) multiple times daily away from food (by at least 45 minutes). Add the powder to about 16 ounces of water, mix vigorously, and drink.

We recommend using a suitable container (such as a mason jar) for rapid mixing. Stir rapidly or shake vigorously (with lid attached).

Individuals suffering from conditions of severe diarrhea and loose stools can take one tablespoon (or more) multiple times daily (five times or more) and refrain from food. Put the powder in about 16 ounces of water per tablespoon, thoroughly mix, and drink immediately. In between servings it may be helpful to take a multiple strain lactic acid bacteria formula (i.e., a soil based probiotic such as Prescript-Assist). Place the formula directly in your mouth, chew, and then swallow.

While results can be obtained rapidly using this formula, it is most effective when used for longer-term gentle cleansing. Starting with lower doses and gradually increasing dosage often produces best results. This allows the body time to adjust to increased dosages (size and frequency) and facilitates greater therapeutic action from usage.

Note: Taking large amounts without sufficient liquid (e.g., water) or when first taking the formula can slow bowel transit time. Therefore, most individuals will benefit from starting at lower dosage levels and ensuring adequate fluid intake when consuming the formula.

External Applications: Make paste by mixing powder with water. Apply directly to skin or affected areas (e.g., stings, bites, wounds). Wrap with gauze, plastic, etc., and keep poultice moist. Use for up to six hours. Apply fresh poultice as needed.

Summer is a season of sun, outdoor fun, friends, family, and food! It can also be a time of bites or stings from bees and other insects, as well as spiders, scorpions, and sometimes snakes.

Bites and stings quickly put a damper on one’s enjoyment of the day. I don’t like being stung myself. But as a parent, it can be quite traumatic dealing with a child’s pain, discomfort, and suffering.

As my wife Stefanie says about our son Olin, he has been stung by bees more often in his four years than she has in her entire life. And he’s had his share of ant bites, too. Our garden usually has some ant and bee activity, and he is often in the garden among the flowers and insects. So, naturally we try to use the most effective, natural solutions to bites and stings.

The good news is that we know what do when stings or bites occur. In fact, how we handle them may surprise you. Gone are the days when we worry too much about the pain, swelling, and other harmful effects of stings from bees and other insects, spiders, scorpions, and even snakes. This information can benefit you, too.

We know what works. The key is being prepared to act quickly after a bite or sting occurs.

MAKE AN EMERGENCY KIT FOR BITES AND STINGS

Assemble the few items you will need to treat stings and bites. I suggest keeping all essential items (see list below) in an easily accessible place, so they are available when stings or bites happen. Better yet, make a kit and you can take it with you when you’re traveling or in the outdoors. You can also keep it in your car, or in a handy place where you can access it quickly when needed.

WHAT TO DO

1) APPLY ECHINACEA TINCTURE

Echinacea purpurea

The first thing to do is put some liquid echinacea tincture directly onto the sting or bite. Rub at least three or four dropperfuls into the affected area as quickly as possible.

Be sure to give at least two or three dropperfuls of echinacea directly into the mouth of the person. If an alcohol tincture is too strong for a child, then put it in a few ounces of water. For snake bites, give correspondingly more tincture.

The immediate effect of echinacea tincture is to neutralize the effects of the proteins and enzymes within venom. Another effect is to boost the immune system.

I typically make my own echinacea tincture, but also recommend a few brands known for their effectiveness. These include include Herb Pharm’s Super Echinacea and American Botanical Pharmacy’s Echinacea Plus. These tinctures are readily available at health food stores, cost effective, and easy to store or keep in your kit.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN ECHINACEA TINCTURE

You can use homegrown echinacea, or get the dried herb from Pacific Botanicals. Use fresh or dried echinacea root (root powder or whole root). You can also use other parts of plant (e.g., seeds). Cut the herb into pieces (if not already powdered). Put the herb into a blender, add 80 proof alcohol (vodka, brandy, etc.) and mix.

Pour the mixture from the blender into a mason jar and add more alcohol so that the herb is covered (one to two inches above the plant material). Shake daily for at least two weeks (preferably a month or longer for greater strength) and then filter into a large bowl using cotton cloth or cheesecloth.

Pour the filtered tincture into mason jar and then transfer into dropper bottles, as needed. You may find it helpful to use a small ladel and a funnel to transfer from the mason jar to dropper bottles. Clearly label your mason jar and dropper bottles, so you know what it is, and so you don’t accidentally drink it thinking it’s apple cider vinegar (it happens!). Then put a dropper bottle or two of your labeled echinacea into your kit(s).

As I previously noted, regardless of whether you make your own tincture or buy it online or in a store, it’s a good idea not just to have it at home, but also to have it ready to go on trips. So, either bring your kit when you go out (e.g., hiking, camping, etc.) or make another kit to keep in your car for trips.

Echinacea is a perennial flowering herb endemic to north America, and is often referred to as ‘purple coneflower’ although its various species exhibit other colors. The primary medicinal species are E. purpurea, E. angustifolia, and E. pallida, so look for these in tinctures or seeds (if you plan to grow your own). It is a known immunomodulator and immunostimulator, stimulating the body’s non-specific immune system to help fight infections.

It was historically used medicinally by Native Americans (and especially tribes (i.e., Kiowa, Lakotah, Pawnee, Cheyenne) living on the Great Plains) who introduced it to European settlers. It was used in the 19th and early 20th centuries as an antimicrobial, but also documented for use for snakebite and pain relief.

Echinacea is reported to have been the original 19th-century “snake oil” used by traveling entertainers as a remedy for intentional snake bites where it was used to miraculously ‘cure’ the bite recipient in front of an audience. I can’t verify the accuracy of these reports. However, if there is a single, natural remedy that could rapidly deactivate snake venom, then echinacea probably would be it.

Echinacea certainly offers special properties when it comes to neutralizing various types of venom. Yet, I wouldn’t be without a drawing poultice in the event of snake bite, for example, in order to draw out the venom, even as it is being neutralized by echinacea. So read on.

2) APPLY A DRAWING POULTICE

The next thing to do is to make a wet drawing poultice from pre-prepared poultice mix. The purpose is to draw out the venom (or poisons) from the bite or sting. A drawing poultice is highly effective topical, herbal treatment for pulling out toxins of all sorts.

A very good prepared poultice powder mix is HPDI’s Intestinal Rejuvenation Formula, which contains all the ingredients needed to make a poutice directly from the container. An added advantage of our unique formula is that you can also use it internally to gently cleanse your digestive tract (e.g., ideal for use on a summer juice fast). In fact, it was primarily designed as an intestinal cleansing formula. But it performs superbly as a poultice, too.

You can also make your own poultice powder mix. Prepare a basic poultice powder using a combination that is two parts slippery elm bark powder (e.g., 2 tablespoons) and one part (e.g., 1 tablespoon) each of activated charcoal, bentonite clay, and apple pectin. Mix the herbs in a large bowl and then store in a mason jar for future use. (You can get these herbs from your local herb shop, or order them from Pacific Botanicals (541-479-7777) or Blessed Herbs (774-298-0966).

Make the actual drawing poultice you will use on a bite or sting by mixing a few teaspoons (or more) of the pre-prepared poultice mix (i.e., Intestinal Rejuvenation Formula or your own formula) with some water in a pyrex cup or small bowl. Add water slowly (i.e., don’t add too much) and then stir with a spoon or chopstick until it has a somewhat thick consistency, basically a paste.

Spread a thin layer of the wet poultice “paste” directly onto skin (i.e., sting or bite) and surrounding area (including swollen areas). The layer shouldn’t be too thin. In fact, more is generally better, as long as it isn’t clumping, drying, or falling off. Try to spread the paste evenly.

Cover the poultice with a thin layer of gauze and wrap it with plastic wrap, which you can tape in place. If you don’t have gauze or think cotton cloth (think T-shirt material), then you can just wrap it with plastic wrap and tape it down.

The purpose of the gauze and plastic wrap not only is to hold the poultice in place, but also to keep the poultice moist. By keeping it moist, you allow the poultice to continue drawing venom from the bite. If it dries out completely, you will have to remove it entirely and start again (as sometimes happens overnight). if the poultice is just beginning to dry out (and is still flexible or slightly ‘rubbery’), you can often just add water directly to it without having to remove it). You can leave a poultice on the skin for six (or more) hours before you remove it and apply a fresh one, which you can do as often as necessary. It may be helpful to apply a cold pack over the poultice to prevent venom or toxins from spreading.

If you act rapidly enough, you will find that just by using echinacea and applying the drawing poultice on the bite or sting will in most cases cause the pain and swelling to stop within 15–30 minutes (or less) depending on its severity.

However, the longer the time between the sting/bite and the start of these measures means a longer time before the pain and swelling disappear (e.g., possibly up to 24 hours or more). Also, even if the pain and swelling disappear quickly, it can still be important to apply fresh poultices and continue taking echinacea (e.g., by mouth every 20–30 minutes) because the venom may not be completely drawn from the site.

3) GIVE / TAKE VITAMIN C

Immediately give at least 1–3 grams of vitamin C. I suggest a buffered form, such as PRO-C™ or Buffered C 1,000 Tabs. Vitamin C will immediately protect the body from free-radical damage, reduce inflammation and limit histamine release, and boost the immune system. Children can take 0.5 to 1 gram immediately. Give more vitamin C depending on the severity of the sting or bite. For a bee sting, you can give another gram every 20–30 minutes. For a snake bite, much larger doses (5–10 grams or more) may be needed and given repeatedly over a longer period of time.

4) GIVE / TAKE HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES

It is also important to take or give homeopathic remedies after a sting or bite. Some of the most useful homeopathic remedies include Ledum palustre, Apis mellifica, Hypericum, Urtica urens. The 30C strength is ideal for this purpose, but other potencies work well, too. Start with 4–5 pellets and repeat every 15 minutes for up to four doses, or as directed on the label.

You can purchase individual tubes of about 80 pellets (I prefer the Boiron® brand) at your local health food store, Whole Foods Market, or even Amazon.com. Shop around. Sometimes you can find deals on multi-tube packages.

These (below) are the three remedies I use most. In fact, for a bee sting I will usually give all three remedies within about 5–10 minutes of each other, and follow with repeat doses, as needed.

Ledum palustre 30C – works well for stings, pain, as well as itching related to insect bites.

Apis mellifica 30C – works for pain, swelling, and inflammation specifically due to stings from bees, wasps, hornets, etc.

I also like the Boiron Arnicare® Trauma Pellets, a blended formula which includes Arnica montana 9C, Ledum palustre 5C, and Bellis perennis 5C. It works effectively for major bumps, bruises, and swelling. Use it as an all-purpose bite, sting, and trauma formula.

ADDITIONAL MEASURES

I include these additional measure because they can be helpful, even critically important at times, depending on the individual or situation. However, I would not necessarily rate them as immediately necessary as the four measures above. In fact, except for possibly Warrior Mist™, these items won’t likely be included in your emergency kit. Instead, you will likely keep them in your kitchen or wherever you store your supplements.

5) APPLY WARRIOR MIST™ TOPICAL PAIN FORMULA

Warrior Mist™ is a topical, transdermal pain relief formula that Dr. Hank Liers designed to stop pain in sixty seconds (or less!). This is a very serious natural pain killing formula that works well on all major sources of pain like the pain of bee and wasp stings. Of course, it also works nicely on lesser pains like mosquito and fly bites. In fact, whether or not you have your emergency kit available, if you have Warrior Mist™, then by all means use it, if only to stop pain fast.

Although Warrior Mist™ is exceedingly effective for stopping pain, it is not a substitute for echinacea (to neutralize venom) and a poultice (to draw out venom) when a bite or sting is severe. For example, if you are dealing with a rattlesnake bite, you will obviously want to use echinacea and apply a poultice first, and then consider applying Warrior Mist™.

Other benefits of keeping Warrior Mist™ in your kit include the fact that you can use it for all types of pain. And so you will find uses for it whether or not you need it for bites and stings. It works well for everything from bumps and bruises to the pain of fibromyalgia, joint pains, neck and shoulder pain, and all types of chronic pain. It also effectively reduces the size of scars by dissolving keloids.

6) TAKE FOUNDATIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

Supplements I regard as foundational (or what I sometimes refer to as essential or ‘core’) include a multivitamin, essential fats, vitamin C, and a Rejuvenate!™ superfood. These are daily supplements recommended for everyone for basic health.

Taking a multivitamin, essential fats, vitamin C, and superfoods on a daily basis is important for health. We at HPDI always recommend that everyone take these supplement daily. This is because these are essential nutrients for supporting basic health and life itself. Later, you can add specific supplement formulas for their unique needs (e.g., Joint Health Formula, Allergy Support Plus, Eye & Vision Formula, etc.). Indeed, the best health is created when you appropriately combine foundational formulas with the specific-condition formulas that fit your individual needs.

So, if you first establish a condition of basic health for yourself, in part by taking foundational supplements daily, then your body will always be better prepared for a sting or a bite because your nutritional status will be good. The corollary is that your body’s response to a sting may be vastly worse if your nutritional status is compromised.

7) TAKE MAGNESIUM

When your body has optimal (or at least adequate) levels of magnesium, then it can perform a myriad of functions better. In fact, most Americans (and many other peoples around the world) are magnesium deficient. Magnesium supports the health of all organ systems, and is especially important for muscle function (including cardiac muscle), healing rapidly, fighting inflammation, and energy production (as ATP) in the body. We recommend a good oral magnesium supplement like MYO-MAG, which is a very complete and balanced formula. (Also see this month’s featured product article on MYO-MAG.)

Oral magnesium supplementation has limits for how rapidly it can raise magnesium levels in the body. For this reason, transdermal magnesium therapy with pure magnesium chloride in the form of Ancient Minerals magnesium oil or magnesium flakes is quickly becoming a preferred method of delivery. This is because the body can absorb large quantities through the skin (i.e., applied directly or in baths or footbaths). In contrast, the body can only absorb limited amounts orally within a given time frame, and this can be problematic during times of severe deficiency. In other words, transdermal delivery can safely and effectively raise magnesium levels and basically saturate the body with magnesium.

A major advantage of transdermal magnesium products like Ancient Minerals magnesium oil is that you can spray it directly on a bite. Magnesium oil is anti-inflammatory, speeds healing, supports healthy skin, and naturally repels bugs like mosquitoes. In fact, I rub it on during the summer and it prevents bites from mosquitoes, gnats, and biting flies. It must taste terrible to bugs! Plus, unlike commercial insect repellents, it contains no toxic ingredients (and is actually a detoxifier!), produces no side effects, and has no chemical odors! You won’t see us advertise magnesium oil as an insect repellent, but it’s really the one I like best!

For these reasons, we recommend both oral and transdermal modes of delivery. Oral magnesium delivery (e.g., Myo-Mag) primarily works as a maintenance dose after body magnesium levels are high. Transdermal magnesium is best used when the body needs maximal amounts of magnesium quickly, or for external uses (trauma, bruises, muscle injuries, aches and pains, etc.). It is also an ideal form for athletes or anyone who sweats frequently or profusely because perspiration carries magnesium out of the body.

8) TAKE IMMUNE-ASSIST™ DAILY FORMULA

Immune-Assist™ Daily Formula is an potent immune-enhancing medicinal mushroom supplement. It provides immunity enhancing polysaccharides (more than 200 different polysaccharides) derived from the enzymatic breakdown of complex organic plant material from six different species of medicinal mushrooms.

We recommend Immune-Assist™ because it effectively boosts the immune system and therefore the body’s ability to defend itself. We like this formula, but there are other good mushroom complex formulas available.

WHAT TO EXPECT

You can expect the items in your kit to do a great job remedying the problem of stings and bites. Again, the effectiveness of the kit depends on how quickly you act, the severity of the sting/bite, the nutritional status of the person affected (as well as their individual degree of sensitivity to stings/bites), and other factors. But overall, it will work remarkably well, and you will be very glad you took the time to assemble your kit.

BEES

I have treated numerous bee stings on myself and others over the years with the protocol described above. It always works in my experience. Again, the key is speed. Get echinacea tincture onto the sting site as rapidly as possible, then make your poultice and apply it. Then you can take Vitamin C and homeopathic remedies.

For individuals who are hypersensitive to bee venom (or any other type of venom) and are concerned about anaphylaxis, I suggest doing what you need to do to make sure that doesn’t happen. However, you can still apply the protocol to good effect and heal faster than if you didn’t use it. That is, there is no reason I am aware of that you can’t use this protocol, whether or not you feel you must take medication to counter a severe allergic reaction.

Also, if the protocol I present here appears too complex or difficult to use, trust me, it’s not! Even if all you do is take echinacea and apply a poultice to the affected area, you will have accomplished 90% of what needs to be done! And if you’re not into making your own herbal formulas, then just purchase echinacea tincture (like Super Echinacea) and Intestinal Rejuvenation Formula. Those are the most essential elements of the kit.

ANTS

Not-so-random fact: I was attacked and bitten this week by small fire ants (ironically during the course of writing this article!). I had personally never been attacked by a large number of ants. At the time, I was at a local park where I kneeled down in the grass to take a picture of my son Olin. I suddenly felt many sharp pains. Looking down, I saw that I had placed one knee on top of an ant nest covered by grass. My knee and the surrounding area were dotted with about fifty painful bites that were now swelling. Ouch! I ran to the car where I applied Super Echinacea (kept in the glove compartment). Within minutes the bites were already less painful and the swelling was dissipating. By the time we got home, the bites were no longer visible, and I felt no more pain. What a relief!

As noted, the key with ant (and other insect) bites and stings is speedy application of echinacea and a poultice when necessary. Back when Olin was two years old, he was stung by a single large, black harvester ant. The sting swelled hugely, but I wasn’t convinced it was terribly serious (after all, how much harm could one ant do?). I applied echinacea and gave him homeopathic remedies and Vitamin C, but I did not immediately apply a poultice (thinking it might not be needed). No doubt the echinacea gave him some relief. But the sting site continued swelling and his pain (and his crying) were unremitting until I finally applied a poultice. Lesson learned!!

SCORPIONS

I’ve had three scorpion stings since living in southern Arizona. The first time, I was new to using echinacea and poultices for this purpose. So I took a little echinacea and waited until the next day to apply a poultice. The sting occurred on the joint of my left middle finger, so the venom became sequestered in a place with little blood flow. It took an entire month before the pain and numbness were completely gone!

My second scorpion sting occurred on my ring finger the night before my wedding. How auspicious! This time, I flew into action, applying echinacea immediately and taking it orally, and getting a poultice onto the area within ten minutes. By wedding time the next day, I felt almost no pain, and there was no numbness or swelling. If I had not taken rapid action, my wedding ring might not have fit on my finger! Echinacea and drawing poultice saved the day!

The third sting occurred last year when I stepped on a scorpion with my left foot. Dang! Well, at least I was fortunate to be indoors at the time, close to all kit ingredients. I applied echinacea (and took it by mouth) immediately and placed a poultice on the sting site all within just few minutes.This time, the pain was gone within 15 minutes! There was no numbness or swelling at all.

Another cool fact is that these same practices work for snake bites. I’m not saying you shouldn’t seek ‘proper medical attention’ in the event you (or someone you know) receives a bite from a snake, particularly if the bite is deep or if the person is especially sensitive. However, if you’re hiking deep in a canyon where medical attention is not likely to be timely, using your kit just might save your life.

SNAKES

I personally know of a case in which a 14-year-old boy was bitten in the leg by a rattlesnake. Neither he nor his parents previously knew about echinacea or poultices for bites. He was taken to the hospital, treated with anti-venom, and days later released. However, his swelling persisted, and his leg remained very swollen. It was not until his family followed a recommendation to apply a poultice and he took Vitamin C that the swelling in his leg abated. At the least, this shows that an emergency kit can be an effective adjunct to standard medical treatment for snakebite. If the poultice were applied earlier, his suffering could have been significantly lessened, and possibly his time in the hospital would have been reduced.

I also know hikers who won’t go deep into the Grand Canyon (or any remote area) without their bite and sting kit. If there ever were an appropriate time to bring the kit, even just for peace of mind, then a trip away from civilization would be it! As I recall from my days as a Boy Scout, their motto was “Be Prepared.” For what? For anything. Since snake bites are something for which we can prepare, it just makes sense to bring your kit.

CONCLUSION: MAKE A KIT!

Make an emergency kit for bites and stings. You may never need it. However, if or when a bite or sting occurs, you will be glad you have it ready and so will the people you help.

In fact, make an extra kit or two for family members or friends who are hypersensitive to stings or bites, or who spend a lot of time outdoors (e.g., hiking in remote areas). This would make a great holiday gift for someone you love, and they will thank you for it.

The time and costs involved are relatively small given the benefits you stand to gain. I personally find it very empowering to make tinctures and poultice powders that can sit ready in my kit, awaiting the day they will provide welcome relief from a sting or a bite.